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SsfjebiUe,  Uortf)  Carolina 


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BelwuiU  Abbty 

LIBRARY 

Ekluuanl,  N.  C. 


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http://archive.org/details/guidetohistoryaruOchur 


ktlmont   Abbe3r 

-Belmont,  N.  C. 


THE    RT.    REV.    LEO    HAID.O.S.B.. 
BISHOP  OF  NORTH  CAROLINA 


Jtagtora 


JAMES  CARDINAL  GIBBONS 

First  Bishop  of  North  Carolina.    Purchased  the  first  Catholic 
Church  property  in  Asheville,  N.  C,  1868. 

THE  REV.  DR.  JEREMIAH  P.  O'CONNELL 

THE  VERY  REV.  LAWRENCE  P.  O'CONNELL,  V.G. 

Traveling  Missioners   of  the   Carolinas   who  built  the   first 
Catholic  Church  in  Asheville  in  1869. 

RT.  REV.  JOHN  BARRY,  D.D. 

The  first  Catholic  Priest  to  minister  in  Asheville — about  the 
year  1840. 

THE  REV.  JOHN  B.  WHITE 

The  first  resident  Priest  in  Asheville. 

RT.  REV.  MSGR.  PETER  G.  MARION,  Pastor 
Rev.  Francis  J.  Gallagher,  Curate 

RT.  REV.  MSGR.  PATRICK  F.  MARION,  Pastor 
Rev.  James  A.  Manley,  Curate 

THE  REV.  LOUIS  JOSEPH  BOUR,  M.A.,  PH.L.,  Pastor 
Rev.  Aloysius  C.  Adler,  Curate 


Belmont  Abbey 
LIBRARY 
Belmont,  N.  C. 


Belmont  Abbey 

LIBRARY 
Belmont,  N.  C. 

*0  'N  'juouipg 
AHvaen 
Xsqqv  juouipg 


FRONT   VIEW    FROM    SOUTH 


Belmont  Abbey 

LIBRARY 
Belmont,  N.  C. 


J^isitorp 


IN  his  valuable  History  of  Catholicity  in  the  Carolinas  and  Georgia, 
Rev.  J.  J.  O'Connell  tells  the  following  incident  which  we  may  well 
take  as  the  beginning  of  the  history  of  the  church  of  St.  Lawrence : 

"Early  in  the  morning  as  the  sun  shot  his  first  rays  in  great  splendor 
over  the  distant  eastern  hills,  diffusing  all  around  a  flood  of  golden  light 
far  more  brilliant  than  St.  Peter's  illuminated,  I  erected  an  altar  upon  the 
summit  of  Mount  Mitchell  and  said  Mass.  It  was  the  thirtieth  of  August, 
the  Feast  of  St.  Rose  of  Lima,  the  first  flower  of  the  American  Church. 
There  could  be  no  temple  more  sublime  or  more  worthy  of  the  Holy  Sacri- 
fice which  I  offered  on  that  Altar.  The  majestic  peaks  that  stood  around 
like  the  ancients  before  the  throne  of  the  Lamb,  seemed  to  bare  their  heads 
in  adoration  before  their  Maker,  and  I  imagined  that  they  rejoiced,  after 
centuries  of  waiting,  in  being  able  to  pay  their  first  act  of  jubilant  homage 
to  the  Hand  that  raised  them,  the  witnesses  of  His  power,  wisdom,  and 
goodness.  All  present  partook  of  the  Bread  of  Life,  one  a  sincere  convert, 
A.  L.  Cardell,  and  his  children,  youths  in  their  teens;  Mrs.  Anne  Keenan, 
and  a  daughter  of  Terence  Keenan,  afterwards  an  edifying  Sister  of  Mercy, 
known  in  religion  as  Sister  Genevieve." 

This  was  in  1866,  and  in  1868,  Bishop  James  Gibbons,  then  the  young 
Vicar  Apostolic  of  North  Carolina,  and  afterwards  the  saintly  and  famous 
Cardinal,  made  his  way  by  stage  coach  and  on  horseback  to  Asheville,  at 
that  time  a  little  mountain  village  almost  unknown  to  fame.  It  was  a 
journey  full  of  hardships,  but  full  too  of  hope,  for  the  young  Bishop  had 
the  gift  of  being  able  to  see  and  to  call  out  the  best  in  every  one  who  came 
within  the  reach  of  his  own  radiant  spirit  of  Faith  and  Love ;  and  he  recog- 
nized then  what  he  frequently  said  afterwards,  that,  while  the  people  of 
North  Carolina  are  generally  ignorant  of  the  true  teachings  of  the  Catholic 
Church  and  are  therefore  prejudiced  against  it,  they  sincerely  believe  in 
Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  their  God  and  Saviour,  and  thus  in  approaching 
them,  one  has  always  this  Faith  as  a  starting  point. 

Again  let  us  listen  to  Father  O'Connell,  who  says:  "During  Bishop 
Gibbons'  first  visit  to  Asheville  in  1868,  a  vacant  space,  containing  about 

[11] 


seven  and  a  half  acres  in  the  centre  of  the  town  attracted  his  and  the  clergy's 
attention.  A  more  suitable  place  for  a  church  and  other  ecclesiastical  build- 
ings could  not  be  found.  It  was  purchased  at  a  moderate  sum  from  Col. 
N.  A.  Woodfin,  an  eminent  lawyer,  who  also  contributed  handsomely  to- 
wards the  contemplated  object.  The  people  were  anxious  for  the  establish- 
ment of  a  Catholic  Church,  and  when  I  waited  on  the  principal  citizens  most 
of  them  responded  liberally  to  my  appeals  for  assistance.  .  .  .  But 
the  priests,  Fathers  L.  P.  and  J.  P.  O'Connell,  were  obliged  to  collect  money 
abroad  to  pay  for  the  site  and  to  build  the  church.  They  succeeded  after 
much  labor  in  realizing  the  necessary  funds,  and  a  commodious  brick  build- 
ing was  erected,  and  dedicated  under  the  invocation  of  St.  Lawrence." 

Father  O'Connell  does  not  state  here  that  Bishop  Gibbons  chose  the 
name  of  St.  Lawrence  because  this  holy  martyr  was  the  patron  saint  of  the 
able,  zealous,  and  ever-faithful  Father  Lawrence  O'Connell  to  whom  the 
Carolinas  owe  so  much. 

The  "commodious  brick  building"  so  proudly  mentioned  by  our  his- 
torian was  the  little  church  situated  on  the  hill  where  the  school  for  colored 
children  now  stands  and  which  is  still  locally  known  as  "Catholic  Hill." 
Here  a  few  families,  chief  among  them  the  ever-faithful  Keenans,  the 
pioneer  Catholics  of  this  region,  and  an  occasional  tourist  from  among  those 
who  were  beginning  to  make  summer  homes  in  the  mountains  of  Western 
Carolina,  would  assemble  at  long  intervals  to  hear  Mass  and  to  receive  the 
Sacraments.  There  was  at  that  time  no  priest  stationed  near  Asheville,  and 
the  mountain  mission  was  served  in  irregular  fashion  by  whatever  priest 
could  be  spared  for  a  month  or  two  from  elsewhere.  Among  these  visiting 
missionaries  the  older  members  of  the  parish  remember  with  peculiar 
pleasure  Father  Price,  destined  to  become  known  throughout  the  world  as  a 
missionary,  first  in  North  Carolina,  his  native  state,  and  afterwards  as  the 
co-founder  with  Father  Walsh  of  "Mary  Knoll,"  which  is  doing  such  great 
work  in  training  missionaries  for  China.  Father  Price  died  in  China,  but 
those  who  knew  him  best  can  never  doubt  but  that  his  holy  soul  does  un- 
ceasingly pray  for  the  beloved  people  of  his  own  native  state. 

In  1887  Rev.  J.  B.  White  became  the  first  resident  pastor  of  Asheville, 
and  with  the  far-seeing  wisdom  which  characterized  him,  he  at  once  realized 
that  the  situation  of  the  church  was  too  inaccessible,  unless  indeed  Father 
O'Connell's  dream  of  a  whole  group  of  buildings,  church,  rectory,  schools, 
etc.,  could  be  realized.  Father  White  therefore  set  about  securing  another 
site,  and  having  obtained  the  present  property,  he  erected  thereon  a  modest 
wooden  structure,  and  also  fitted  up  the  small  house  which  was  on  the  lot  as 
a  rectory.    The  choice  of  this  situation  was  but  another  instance  of  the  busi- 

[121 


FRONT  VIEW   FROM    EAST 


ness  sense  of  Father  White,  which  was  so  valuable  in  those  early  days.  To 
him  we  owe  the  fine  property  in  Raleigh,  Asheville,  Salisbury,  and  a  num- 
ber of  other  places  in  the  state.  No  man  thought  less  of  his  own  comfort  or 
pleasure,  but  when  it  came  to  the  advancement  of  the  material  needs  of  the 
church  or  to  the  perfection  and  order  of  everything  that  pertained  to  the 
Ritual  of  the  Services  he  exercised  a  vision,  a  care,  a  foresight  which  were 
truly  remarkable. 

Father  White  was  also  gifted  with  an  extraordinary  knowledge  of 
music  and  had  a  most  beautiful  voice,  so  that  to  hear  him  sing  High  Mass 
was  like  being  borne  on  the  wings  of  harmony  to  the  very  gates  of  paradise. 

But  even  the  health  of  so  strong  a  man  as  Father  White  broke  down  at 
last  under  the  strain  which  he  constantly  put  on  it  and  so  he  begged  the 
Bishop  to  accept  his  resignation,  stipulating,  however,  that  a  young  priest, 
Rev.  Peter  Marion,  should  be  his  successor  (another  debt  of  gratitude  which 
we  owe  to  him).  Accordingly  in  the  month  of  August,  the  month  of  St. 
Lawrence  as  well  as  of  St.  Rose  of  Lima,  just  twenty-nine  years  after  that 
first  Mass  on  Mount  Mitchell,  God  in  His  loving  providence,  sent  to  Ashe- 
ville as  pastor  of  St.  Lawrence  a  priest  who  by  the  integrity,  the  simplicity, 
the  tolerance,  and  true  Christian  charity  of  his  character  was  destined  to  win 
the  love  of  every  Catholic  and  the  profound  respect  of  every  non-Catholic 
citizen  of  Asheville,  as  well  as  the  gratitude  of  the  numberless  visitors  who 
constantly  sought  his  aid  either  as  priest  or  friend.  That  man  was  Rev. 
Peter  G.  Marion,  affectionately  known  to  the  congregation  as  "Father 
Peter."  It  was  the  wish  of  the  Altar  Society  that  he  would  permit  them  to 
publish  in  this  pamphlet  his  own  account  of  his  coming  and  of  the  building 
of  the  new  church ;   but  this  request  he  has  steadfastly  refused  to  grant. 

However,  he  tells  us  that  on  that  August  day  in  1895,  as  the  train  from 
Raleigh  pulled  into  the  Asheville  station,  Father  White  met  his  young  suc- 
cessor and  handed  him  a  tin  box  containing  four  dollars  in  dimes  and 
nickels,  saying  as  he  did  so  that  this  would  buy  something  to  eat  for  Father 
Marion,  his  mother,  and  his  cousin  (now  Sister  Loretto  at  St.  Joseph's) 
until  the  next  Sunday.  To  most  of  us  that  greeting  would  have  been  rather 
discouraging,  but  Father  Peter  declares  that  he  was  quite  elated  by  it,  as  he 
had  been  obliged  to  borrow  the  money  necessary  to  buy  the  tickets  from 
Raleigh  to  Asheville. 

They  found  the  rectory  without  the  absolutely  essential  housekeeping 
articles,  the  church  was  a  little  frame  building  down  below  the  level  of  the 
street,  the  congregation  was  small  and  most  of  the  members  poor,  but  there 
was  never  a  word  of  complaint  from  these  newcomers. 

[15] 


And  small  as  the  church  was,  the  regular  congregation  filled  less  than 
one-half  of  it,  so  naturally  the  need  of  a  new  building  did  not  seem  urgent 
until  one  Sunday  in  July,  1905,  the  great  architect,  Rafael  Guastavino, 
came  over  from  his  summer  home  near  Black  Mountain,  N.  C,  to  attend 
Mass.  Calling  on  Father  Marion  afterwards  he  told  him  that  he  had  been 
unable  to  get  a  seat,  the  church  was  so  crowded.  Father  Marion  answered 
consolingly  that  after  a  couple  of  months  there  would  be  plenty  of  room,  as 
the  crowd  was  due  to  the  number  of  tourists ;  whereupon  Mr.  Guastavino 
made  the  truly  Catholic  speech  that  our  churches  ought  always  to  be  big 
enough  to  take  care  of  the  stranger,  for  all  should  feel  at  home  in  them; 
and  then  and  there  he  offered  to  make  the  plans  and  give  the  dome  of  a  new 
fireproof  structure.  But  even  with  this  help  it  was  a  stupendous  under- 
taking, and  to  Father  Marion  who  had  just  recovered  from  a  very  severe 
illness  it  seemed  nothing  short  of  impossible. 

But  just  a  little  before  this  time  Bishop  Haid  had  sent  to  Asheville  as 
assistant,  Rev.  Patrick  Marion,  Father  Peter's  younger  brother,  and  one 
day  when  the  two  brothers  were  talking  together  about  Mr.  Guastavino's 
offer,  the  younger  priest  reminded  the  elder  of  the  promise  made  by  him 
during  his  recent  illness  that  if  God  would  spare  him  to  live  a  few  years 
longer,  he  would  strive  to  do  some  special  work  for  His  honor  and  glory. 

"Perhaps,"  said  Father  Patrick,  "this  new  church  is  the  work  that  God 
has  spared  you  to  do.  We  have  no  means,  it  is  true,  but  since  the  thing  is 
needed,  God  will  supply  the  means  if  we  do  our  part." 

Inspired  by  this  thought,  the  brothers  talked  and  prayed  and  planned 
for  this  new  edifice  which  should  be  the  expression  of  their  love  for  God, 
of  their  gratitude  to  Him,  and  which  would  give  to  every  Catholic,  or  indeed 
to  every  person,  be  his  faith  what  it  might,  a  house  of  prayer  in  this  Land 
of  the  Sky.  Finally  they  summoned  courage  to  ask  the  permission  of  the 
Bishop  for  the  undertaking,  a  permission  readily  given,  and  Mr.  Guasta- 
vino was  called  upon  to  furnish  the  promised  plans. 

This  promise  the  architect  promptly  and  most  fully  carried  out;  and 
developed  designs  suited  to  the  present  location.  The  plan  finally  adopted 
was  an  elliptical  form,  partly  on  account  of  the  limitations  of  the  site,  and 
also  because  of  the  great  advantage  it  would  have  in  eliminating  all  columns 
and  obstructions.  It  is  an  interesting  fact  in  this  connection  that  the  pro- 
totype of  this  edifice  was  the  Chapel  Nuestra  Senora  de  los  Desamparados 
(Our  Lady  of  the  Forsaken),  an  old  church  in  Valencia,  Spain  (Mr.  Guas- 
tavino's native  city) ,  which  is  also  covered  by  an  elliptical  dome. 

The  contract  was  given  to  a  local  firm,  but  the  style  of  architecture  was 
new  to  them  and  they  soon  found  that  they  were  losing  money,  so  Father 

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Marion  released  them  from  their  contract,  and  Father  Patrick  set  himself  to 
study  the  plans  night  and  day  in  order  to  qualify  as  supervising  architect, 
while  both  he  and  his  brother  became  workmen,  as  well  as  contractors. 
"And,"  adds  Father  Peter,  "during  the  four  years  we  took  to  complete  the 
building,  we  never  quit  for  want  of  money." 

The  story  of  how  the  money  came  is  a  story  of  Faith,  zeal,  industry, 
perseverance  and  generosity  such  as  might  be  told  of  the  building  of  those 
old-world  cathedrals  where  all  worked  together,  each  after  his  own  talent  or 
capacity,  for  the  raising  of  a  structure  in  some  degree  worthy  of  the  worship 
of  God.  Some  of  the  members  of  the  congregation  helped  in  digging  out 
the  cellar ;  Father  Peter  wrote  three  thousand  letters  and  sent  them  all  over 
the  country,  "And  I  got  only  three  downright  refusals  to  help,"  he  says, 
"two  of  those  from  millionaires.  It  is  not  the  millionaires  who  build  our 
churches,"  he  continues,  "but  the  poor  struggling  Christian  people  of  faith 
and  devotion."  There  was  a  non-Catholic  gentleman  for  whom  every  mem- 
ber of  St.  Lawrence's  should  offer  many  a  prayer,  this  was  Mr.  R.  S. 
Howland,  who,  when  the  stone  for  the  foundation  had  all  been  furnished  by 
his  quarry,  handed  Father  Marion  a  bill  marked  "paid  in  full,"  a  truly 
splendid  act  of  generosity.  In  hauling  this  stone  a  member  of  the  congre- 
gation did  faithful  service,  Mr.  John  O'Donnell  furnished  a  two-horse  team 
and  driver  for  the  hauling  of  the  six  hundred  loads  of  stone  in  the  basement 
and  also  for  the  hauling  of  the  brick  and  tile  of  the  upper  structure;  while 
Mr.  Patrick  Mclntyre  proved  himself  an  ever-present  help  in  time  of  need, 
by  giving  the  money  for  paying  the  workmen  on  many  a  Saturday  night 
when,  without  his  aid,  it  is  hard  to  see  where  the  Fathers  could  have  found 
the  means  to  go  on  with  the  work.  But  one  day,  the  outlook  was  so  dark 
that  Father  Patrick  went  out  to  solicit  help,  and  returned  with  a  large 
donation  from  Mr.  M.  H.  Kelly,  which,  says  Father  Peter,  "tided  us  over 
for  some  time."  Thus  it  went,  our  Catholic  and  non-Catholic  people  help- 
ing in  the  good  work;  but  still  there  was  great  stringency  in  the  financial 
department ;  and  the  following  incident  is  too  delightfully  typical  of  Father 
Peter  Marion  not  to  be  told  in  his  own  words,  so  at  the  risk  of  disobeying 
him  it  is  given  below. 

"My  brother  and  I  worked  every  day  the  men  worked,  and  one  day  I 
heard  the  masons  yelling  for  brick  and  mortar,  I  looked  and  saw  them 
standing,  trowel  in  hand.  I  said  to  myself,  'It  is  expensive  to  have  these 
high-paid  men  standing  idle,'  so  I  at  once  took  charge  of  the  brick  pile  and 
mortar  box.  I  kept  plenty  of  help  and  never  again  did  I  hear  a  mason  yell 
for  brick  and  mortar.  One  day,  while  I  was  busy  mixing  mortar,  a  man 
passed.    He  would  not  have  recognized  me  as  a  priest,  there  in  my  overalls, 

[191 


if  it  had  not  been  for  my  Roman  collar  which  I  always  wore ;  but  the  collar 
made  him  ask  if  I  were  the  priest,  and  on  my  replying  that  I  was,  he  said 
that  he  wished  to  go  to  Confession.  I  dropped  my  hoe  and  went  into  the 
house,  where  my  Mother  (God  rest  her  soul! )  was  always  ready  to  brush 
me  and  put  me  in  shape  for  my  clerical  duties.  I  went  into  the  church,  and 
then  back  to  work  again.  The  next  day  I  was  at  the  same  job  when  the 
same  man  passed  by.  He  stopped  and  said,  'I  see  that  you  are  still  busy  at 
the  mortar  box,'  and  after  a  little  further  talk,  he  said,  'If  you  will  get  me  a 
pen,  I  will  give  you  a  donation.'  We  went  into  the  house  together  and  he 
wrote  a  check  for  a  thousand  dollars,  saying  that  he,  his  wife,  and  son  felt 
that  they  could  not  see  a  priest  working  so  hard  and  leave  the  city  without 
making  their  contribution.  Never  did  a  gift  come  in  better  time  and  never 
did  one  bring  more  joy  to  a  pastor's  heart,  for  the  funds  were  running  low 
and  the  calls  were  increasing." 

The  story  might  go  on  indefinitely  telling  of  self-sacrifice,  of  unceasing 
effort,  of  unfailing  co-operation,  of  true  generosity,  from  Catholics  both  in 
Asheville  and  elsewhere  ;  and  of  the  growing  pride  in  the  church  as  the 
beautiful  and  unique  structure  began  to  show  in  its  finished  form;  but 
space  forbids  the  yielding  to  the  temptation  to  record  the  many  touching 
instances  of  Asheville's  awakening  to  the  realization  that  a  genuine  work  of 
ecclesiastical  art  was  rising  in  our  city.  To  each  and  every  reader  of  this 
history  the  ladies  of  the  Altar  Society  would  say  that  where  all  have  worked 
so  long  and  so  faithfully,  it  is  impossible  to  give  credit  by  name  to  each  one, 
but  that  the  very  walls  of  St.  Lawrence's  bear  everlasting  witness  to  the 
Faith  and  zeal  of  those  who  so  untiringly  aided,  and  also  to  the  generosity 
of  the  non-Catholic  citizens  of  Asheville. 

Finally  in  October,  1909,  came  the  day  when  the  church  was  dedicated 
by  Bishop  Haid,  a  joyful  day  indeed  for  him  and  for  the  whole  state  of 
North  Carolina.  There  was  still  a  debt  of  $6,000  on  the  building,  and  the 
fine  copper  roof  had  still  to  be  bought,  put  on,  and  paid  for ;  and  this  work 
had  to  be  done  by  Father  Patrick,  for,  by  this  time,  Father  Peter's  health 
had  become  so  frail,  that  his  physician  warned  him  of  the  absolute  necessity 
of  his  doing  less  work.  Accordingly  the  Bishop  made  him  Rector  Emeritus 
of  St.  Lawrence  and  sent  him  at  his  own  request  to  Hendersonville,  where 
he  is  today,  loved  by  all  who  know  him.  On  May  9,  1917,  at  St.  Lawrence 
many  priests  and  three  bishops  assembled  to  return  thanks  to  Almighty  God 
and  to  felicitate  the  congregation  of  St.  Lawrence  on  the  happy  occasion  of 
Father  Peter  Marion's  silver  jubilee  as  a  priest.  It  is  possible  that  Father 
Patrick  Marion  had  even  then  begun  to  suspect  that  his  own  health  was 
failing,  at  all  events  he  now  bent  his  superb  energy  and  fine  executive  ability 

[20] 


NORTHWEST   CORNER   OF   SANCTUARY 


to  completing  the  church  in  every  detail  and  to  paying  off  the  debt  so  that  it 
might  be  consecrated.  In  another  section  we  shall  speak  of  the  windows, 
etc.,  of  the  finished  edifice  and  we  will,  as  far  as  we  can,  give  a  list  of  the 
donors  of  the  various  altars,  statues,  etc. ;  but  we  would  say  here  that  Father 
Patrick  Marion  generally  suggested  these  gifts  and  memorials  as  we  have 
them,  and  it  is  to  his  taste  and  judgment  that  we  owe  the  consistency  with 
which  Mr.  Guastavino's  plan  has  been  carried  out. 

Finally  on  the  thirteenth  of  October,  1920,  all  was  ready  and  there 
gathered  in  Asheville  the  most  notable  assembly  of  distinguished  prelates 
ever  seen  in  North  Carolina  for  the  great  event  of  the  Consecration  of  St. 
Lawrence,  the  first  church  ever  consecrated  in  the  Vicariate.  His  Eminence 
James  Cardinal  Gibbons,  Bishop  Leo  Haid  of  the  Vicariate  of  North  Caro- 
lina, Bishop  Russell  of  Charleston,  Bishop  McDevitt  of  Harrisburg,  Pa., 
and  Bishop  O'Connell  of  Richmond  (a  nephew  of  those  brave  Fathers 
O'Connell  who  had  commenced  the  first  St.  Lawrence  on  Catholic  Hill) ; 
and  more  than  two  score  priests  were  present.  Bishop  McDevitt  officiated 
at  the  long  ceremony  of  the  Consecration ;  Bishop  Russell  was  the  Celebrant 
of  the  Grand  Pontifical  High  Mass ;  and  Bishop  Haid  preached  a  beautiful 
sermon  vibrating  with  the  deep  feeling  of  the  preacher  and  awakening 
similar  emotions  in  the  hearts  of  the  hundreds  who  heard  him.  There  were 
two  choirs  who  rendered  the  beautiful  music  both  at  Mass  and  at  the 
Pontifical  Vespers  in  the  evening.  The  church  was  ablaze  with  lights, 
flowers  and  the  Cardinal's  crimson,  and  that  stately  Processional  up  through 
the  crowded  church  to  the  music  of  the  choirs  was  a  sight  never  to  be  for- 
gotten. Truly  the  Consecration  was  carried  out  with  all  the  splendor  of 
ritual,  all  the  solemnity  of  service,  all  the  grandeur  of  music  which  the 
Catholic  Church  so  well  knows  how  to  employ  on  such  occasions ;  but  there 
was  no  more  impressive  moment  than  when  the  great  Cardinal  at  the  close 
of  the  Mass  came  in  his  simple  fashion  to  the  altar  rail  and  standing  there, 
his  slight  frame  seeming  still  slighter  in  the  flowing  crimson  robes  which  he 
wore  as  a  Prince  of  the  Church,  he  spoke  as  a  father  to  his  children  of  his 
recollections  of  those  early  days  more  than  fifty  years  before,  when  as  the 
young  bishop  he  had  made  his  way  across  the  mountains  to  dedicate  the  first 
Church  of  St.  Lawrence;  of  the  changes  that  had  come  since  then;  and 
drawing  himself  up  to  his  full  height,  his  noble  and  holy  countenance 
illumined  by  his  Faith  and  Love,  his  clear  voice  making  itself  heard 
throughout  the  church,  he  assured  his  hearers  that  his  last  message  to  them 
was  even  as  his  first:  "Jesus  Christ,  yesterday,  today,  and  the  same  for- 
ever." May  God  give  to  every  reader  of  this  pamphlet  the  grace  to  live  by 
these  words  as  James  Cardinal  Gibbons  lived  by  them  all  the  days  of 
his  life. 

[23] 


So  remarkable  were  the  services  rendered  Catholicity  by  Father  Patrick 
Marion  in  completing  this  church  and  clearing  it  of  debt  that  the  Holy 
Father,  Pope  Benedict  XV,  conferred  upon  him  the  high  dignity  of  Mon- 
signor,  or  Papal  Chaplain ;  and  the  Church  of  St.  Lawrence  was  the  scene 
of  another  solemn  ceremony  when  our  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  invested  our  honored 
pastor  with  the  Monsignorial  purple  on  the  thirteenth  of  April,  1921. 

It  would  be  ungracious  and  ungrateful  for  the  Altar  Society  to  leave 
this  subject  of  the  various  ceremonies  and  celebrations  in  the  new  church 
without  expressing  their  own  and  the  whole  congregation's  sincere  appre- 
ciation of  the  very  great  courtesy  and  kindness  of  Mr.  Frederick  L.  Seely 
upon  every  occasion  when  it  has  been  necessary  to  entertain  an  unusual 
number  of  prelates. 

Mr.  Seely  gave  elaborate  banquets  to  the  visiting  clergy  upon  all  three 
occasions  of  Father  Peter's  Jubilee,  the  Consecration,  and  Father  Patrick's 
Investiture ;  and  not  content  with  this,  he  entertained  with  princely  hospi- 
tality Cardinal  Gibbons  and  the  four  bishops  with  all  of  their  secretaries  at 
the  Consecration  throughout  their  stay  in  Asheville.  Such  genuine  friend- 
liness as  this  can  never  be  forgotten  by  the  Catholics  of  Asheville.  Another 
acknowledgment  which  we  are  glad  to  make  here  is  of  the  hospitality  of 
Mrs.  Safford  of  Hot  Springs,  N.  C,  whose  charming  entertainments  have 
added  so  much  to  the  pleasure  of  the  gatherings  of  which  we  have  been 
speaking. 

Now  we  must  record  another  great  assembly  at  St.  Lawrence  when  a 
sorrowing  people  joined  in  the  solemn  Requiems  which  the  Church  was 
chanting  for  her  departed  priest.  Monsignor  Patrick  Marion  had  long  been 
making  a  losing  fight  against  a  fatal  disease,  and  it  was  only  his  wonderful 
will,  sustained  by  his  high  purpose,  which  had  made  it  possible  for  him  to 
go  on,  until  he  brought  to  completion  that  church,  to  the  building  of  which 
he  and  his  devoted  brother  had  given  so  much  of  their  lives.  And  when  the 
great  work  was  done,  when  the  Holy  Father  had  recognized  it  with  the  signal 
honor  of  the  Monsignorial  dignity,  slowly  and  surely  the  splendid  physique 
wasted  away,  and  finally  in  Baltimore,  whither  he  had  gone  for  treatment, 
on  the  fifth  day  of  August,  1922,  the  brave,  pure  soul  of  Patrick  Francis 
Marion  passed  to  its  reward,  and  the  faithful  priest  went  to  join  the  hosts  of 
those  who  shall  sing  for  all  Eternity  the  praises  of  Him  who  is  at  once  our 
High  Priest  and  our  Victim,  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  "Blessed  are  the  dead 
who  die  in  the  Lord.  From  henceforth  now,  saith  the  Spirit,  that  they  may 
rest  from  their  labors  for  their  works  do  follow  them." 

His  body  was  brought  to  St.  Lawrence,  and  there,  in  the  midst  of  a 
crowd  of  his  fellow  citizens  of  all  creeds  and  all  classes  the  last  solemn  rites 

[24] 


SIGNOR    RAFAEL   GUASTAVINO 
ARCHITECT 


were  performed,  and  he  was  laid  to  rest  in  Belmont,  N.  C,  by  the  side  of  his 
saintly  mother  whom  he  so  tenderly  loved. 

Yet  we  know  that  God  buries  His  workers  but  His  work  goes  on ;  and 
it  is  with  deeply  grateful  hearts  that  we  record  here  that  the  congregation  of 
St.  Lawrence  has  been  truly  blessed  to  have  as  our  Rector,  Rev.  Louis 
Joseph  Bour  to  whom  we  pay  the  high  tribute  of  believing  him  in  every  way 
the  worthy  successor  of  those  who  have  preceded  him.  We  close  our  history 
by  pledging  to  Father  Bour  our  constant  loyal  support,  and  by  uttering 
the  prayer  which  will  find  a  response  in  every  heart,  that  he  may  long  be 
spared  to  carry  on  the  work  of  the  Catholic  priest  in  Asheville,  a  work 
bringing  comfort  and  guidance  to  many  souls,  both  of  our  congregation  and 
of  the  numbers  who  seek  health  and  rest  in  our  beautiful  Land  of  the  Sky. 

&rcf)ttecture  anb  &rt 

The  congregation  of  St.  Lawrence  will  naturally  be  interested  in  the 
foregoing  history  of  the  church,  but  others  will  doubtless  be  more  attracted 
by  a  study  of  the  completed  work.  At  the  risk,  therefore,  of  seeming  some- 
what didactic,  we  shall  ask  the  visitor's  permission  to  accompany  him  as  a 
guide  and  to  explain  as  we  go  some  of  the  interesting  features  of  this  unique 
work  of  ecclesiastical  art. 

To  begin  with  the  exterior,  the  style  chosen  by  the  architect,  is  the 
Spanish  Renaissance,  a  peculiarly  happy  choice  since  St.  Lawrence  was 
born  in  Huesca,  Spain,  which  is  also  the  native  land  of  Mr.  Guastavino. 
The  main  facade  has  as  its  central  figure  the  statue  of  St.  Lawrence  hold- 
ing in  one  hand  the  martyr's  palm  and  in  the  other  a  gridiron,  the  instrument 
of  his  martyrdom;  as  we  are  told  that  he  was  slowly  tortured  by  being 
stretched  on  a  gridiron  over  burning  coals  in  order  to  force  him  to  reveal  the 
treasures  which  his  pagan  persecutors  believed  that  he,  as  almoner  of  the 
Christians,  was  hiding.  To  the  right  of  St.  Lawrence  is  the  statue  of  St. 
Stephen,  the  First  Martyr  and,  like  St.  Lawrence,  a  deacon ;  while  to  his 
left  is  the  statue  of  St.  Aloysius  Gonzaga,  a  native  of  Spain  as  was  St. 
Lawrence.  The  lunette  over  the  main  entrance  is  in  polychrome  terra  cotta 
and  represents  Christ  healing  the  sick. 

In  walking  around  outside  of  the  church  one  is  impressed  by  the  mas- 
siveness  of  the  stone  foundations  and  by  the  solidity  of  the  superstructure  of 
soft-toned  brick,  and  one  begins  to  see  how  the  architect  has  planned  to 
make  the  building  fireproof,  and,  as  far  as  any  work  of  man  can  be,  ever- 
lasting; there  is  not  a  beam  of  wood  or  even  of  steel  in  the  whole  edifice; 
all  walls,  floors,  and  vaultings  are  of  tile  or  other  masonry  materials,  and 

[27] 


the  roof  itself  is  of  tile  with  a  copper  covering.  Even  in  the  interior  this 
fine  simplicity  and  durability  of  structure  is  preserved  and  one  has  an  in- 
describable sense  of  harmony  and  permanence,  brought  about  by  the 
dignified  sincerity  of  the  whole  work. 

Entering  the  vestibule,  which  is  separated  from  the  church  proper  by 
the  screens  of  embossed  leather  and  of  stained  glass  (the  gift  of  Mr.  Louis 
Carr)  we  may  pause  to  note  again  the  solidity  of  the  structure,  for  the  very 
steps  to  the  organ  loft  are  without  wood  or  nails.  On  either  side  of  the  main 
door  are  two  small  stained  glass  windows,  but  it  is  only  after  we  have 
entered  the  church  and  are  standing  at  the  foot  of  the  main  aisle  that  we 
realize  the  beauty  of  the  ellipse  and  the  wonder  of  the  dome,  Mr.  Guas- 
tavino's  masterpiece;  it  is  built  wholly  of  tiles  and  is  entirely  self-support- 
ing, having  a  clear  span  of  58  x  82  feet,  and  being  the  largest  dome  of 
elliptical  type  over  any  church  in  this  country.  It  was  wholly  donated  by 
Mr.  Guastavino  and  erected  under  his  daily  supervision;  and  it  had  not 
long  been  completed  when  he  was  suddenly  stricken  with  a  dangerous  ill- 
ness which  proved  fatal ;  and,  as  was  only  fitting,  his  body  now  rests  in  a 
crypt  especially  built  near  the  entrance  to  the  Lady  Chapel.  He  left  the 
designs  and  plans  of  the  Main  Altar  and  Lady  Chapel  still  to  be  made ;  but 
fortunately  for  Asheville  and  St.  Lawrence  Church,  he  also  left  a  son, 
Rafael  Guastavino,  who  inherits  his  father's  skill  and  generosity  as  well; 
and  this  son  has  most  beautifully  completed  his  father's  unfinished  work. 

To  the  artistic  visitor  after  admiring  the  great  expanse  of  the  dome, 
the  next  point  of  interest  will  probably  be  the  group  of  the  Crucifixion  above 
the  Main  Altar,  and  this  interest  will  be  increased  when  one  finds  that  the 
whole  design  of  the  altar  was  brought  about  by  the  acquisition  of  these 
precious  relics  of  the  past.    Mr.  Guastavino  tells  the  story  as  follows : 

"Some  twenty  years  ago  a  church  in  one  of  the  cities  of  Northern  Spain, 
now  very  much  reduced  from  its  former  splendor,  contained  a  beautiful 
reredos  in  carved  walnut  which  reached  the  whole  height  of  the  Sanctuary 
wall,  60  feet  or  more,  and  was  composed  of  a  series  of  architectural  motifs 
of  three  to  four  tiers  of  columns  superimposed,  these  columns  decreasing 
towards  the  top.  This  wonderful  piece  of  work  was  in  imminent  danger  of 
being  crushed  by  the  apse  wall  which  partly  supported  it,  and  which  was 
beyond  repair.  The  reredos  was  disposed  of  to  acquire  the  needed  funds  to 
rebuild  the  walls  and  make  other  necessary  repairs  to  the  church,  and  two 
of  the  columns  of  the  second  tier  with  the  Crucifixion  group  were  acquired 
for  our  church  after  some  years  of  wandering,  from  place  to  place,  as  if 
seeking  to  reach  the  spot  for  which  they  were  originally  intended." 

[28] 


HIGH    ALTAR    AND    REREDOS 


This  beautiful  group  is  a  fine  piece  of  Spanish  wood-carving  of  the 
middle  seventeenth  century,  and  represents  the  Blessed  Mother  of  Jesus 
and  St.  John  standing  at  the  foot  of  the  cross  upon  which  Our  Crucified 
Lord  is  dying.    Quite  apart  from  its  deeply  devotional  quality,  this  group 
is  well  worth  detailed  study  because  it  is  a  rare  and  very  fine  example  of 
Spanish  art  in  the  seventeenth  century.    The  Main  Altar  under  this  altar 
piece  is  also  most  unusual  and  beautiful;    its  Tabernacle,  composed  of 
faience  covered  with  a  pearly,  creamy  glaze,  represents  two  angels,  one  on 
each  side,  drawing  back  the  curtains  from  the  door  on  which  is  in  relief  a 
figure  of  Our  Saviour  holding  a  cross ;   the  lower  part  of  the  altar  is  made 
almost  entirely  of  glazed  tile  of  various  colors,  and  in  the  front  is  a  terra 
cotta  panel  of  The  Last  Supper,  a  copy  of  Leonardo  da  Vinci's  famous 
fresco  in  Milan.    The  reredos  fills  the  entire  wall  space  on  either  side  of 
the  apse  wall  and  is  made  of  polychrome  terra  cotta.     Two  archangels, 
St.  Raphael  ( with  the  fish  in  his  right  hand  and  a  sword  in  his  left)  and 
St.  Michael  (grasping  a  sword  with  both  hands),  stand  one  on  either  side  of 
the  altar  as  if  guarding  the  Crucifix ;   while  to  the  right  of  St.  Michael  are 
the  two  Evangelists,  St.  Matthew  and  St.  Mark;    and  to  St.  Raphael's  left 
are  St.  Luke  and  St.  John  (these  Evangelists  are  easily  recognized  by  their 
symbols  which  are  at  their  feet,  the  angel  for  St.  Matthew,  the  lion  for 
St.  Mark,  the  bull  for  St.  Luke,  and  the  eagle  for  St.  John).  This  reredos  is 
unique  in  that,  to  our  knowledge,  the  use  of  polychrome  terra  cotta  had  not 
been  heretofore  attempted  on  such  a  large  scale  for  this  decorative  purpose 
in  any  church  in  this  country.     The  carrying  out  of  this  part  of  the  work 
entailed  great  difficulties ;   the  pieces  had  to  be  fired  time  and  again  for  the 
various  colored  glazes  with  subsequent  disappointments  and  losses  before 
the  requisite  number  of  pieces  were  obtained.    The  visitors  who  have  seen 
the  beautiful  terra  cotta  panels  and  altars  of  Luca  della  Robbia  in  Italy 
will  appreciate  the  task  of  executing  this  reredos  fifteen  years  ago  when 
polychrome  work  of  this  character  was  in  its  infancy  in  this  country.     It 
may  be  of  interest  to  note  that  the  figures  are  more  than  seven  feet  high  and 
each  half  of  the  reredos  is  1 1  feet  by  18  feet  in  length. 

The  Bishop's  throne,  the  acolytes'  seats,  and  the  pulpit  are  of  select 
quartered  oak,  made  in  Columbus,  Ohio. 

The  pulpit  is  the  gift  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  Loughran  in  memory  of 
their  splendid  young  son,  First  Lieutenant  Lawrence  B.  Loughran,  who 
was  killed  in  France  while  bravely  fighting  his  country's  battles.  The 
Bishop's  throne  and  the  acolytes'  seats  were  given  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin 
Rothan. 

[311 


The  beautiful  marble  altar  rail  with  its  fine  gates  of  green  bronze  was 
presented  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maurice  Du  Pont  of  Wilmington,  Delaware,  as 
a  memorial  of  their  only  son,  Gerald  Fitzgerald  Du  Pont. 

The  Main  Altar  is  the  munificent  gift  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Patrick  Mc- 
Intyre  given  in  memory  of  their  parents,  Joseph  and  Sarah  Mclntyre  and 
Captain  John  and  Eleanor  McGrath. 

The  Chapel  of  St.  Joseph  was  given  in  its  entirety  by  Mr.  John 
O'Donnell  in  memory  of  his  parents,  Condy  and  Ellen  O'Donnell. 

For  the  past  twenty-five  years  Mrs.  O.  C.  Hamilton  gave  her  faithful 
and  valuable  service  in  the  choir,  also  purchased  at  her  own  expense  the 
necessary  music.  Mrs.  Hamilton  donated  generously  whenever  occasion 
offered. 

Miss  Daisy  Cooke  has  been  ever  faithful  at  the  organ  these  many 
years.    For  many  years  she  received  no  remuneration  for  her  service. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  W.  Needham  of  Columbus,  Georgia,  have  been  ever 
generous  contributors  to  St.  Lawrence  Church. 

Mr.  L.  L.  Jenkins  of  Asheville  and  Washington,  non-Catholic,  aided 
substantially  in  liquidating  the  Parish  indebtedness. 

Hundreds  of  others  have  given  generously  towards  the  building  of 
St.  Lawrence  Church. 

ftfje  £abp  Cftapel 

We  turn  now  to  the  Lady  Chapel  than  which  it  would  be  hard  to  find 
anything  of  its  kind  more  exquisite.  The  prevailing  color  is  a  delicate  blue 
which  forms  a  beautiful  background  for  the  creamy  white  marble  statue  of 
Our  Blessed  Lady  as  the  Immaculate  Conception,  the  figure  suggesting  at 
once  the  great  picture  by  Murillo  and  possessing  the  same  sort  of  virginal 
purity  and  sweetness.  Inserted  in  the  upper  part  of  this  altar  is  a  superb 
old  panel,  "The  Crucifixion,"  attributed  to  the  famous  old  pottery  of  Capo 
di  Monte  in  Italy.  The  spirit  and  charm  of  this  panel  cannot  be  expressed 
but  happily  those  who  are  reading  this  description  will  see  it  for  themselves. 
On  either  side  are  onyx  tiles. 

The  Tabernacle  below  is  another  exquisite  piece  of  faience  in  a  pearly 
cream  glaze  touched  here  and  there  with  vitrious  colors.  On  either  side  is 
a  little  colonnade  with  niches  containing  the  following  Saints  with  their 
respective  symbols:  beginning  at  the  extreme  left,  St.  Margaret  with  a 
crucifix  in  her  hand  and  a  broken  chain  at  her  feet ;  St.  Lucia  with  a  lamp 
in  her  hand;  St.  Cecilia  with  a  harp;  St.  Catherine  of  Alexandria  with  a 
sword,  book  and  wheel.    On  the  other  side  in  the  same  order  are  St.  Barbara 

[32] 


CHAPEL   OF   OUR    LADY   OF   THE   ASSUMPTION 

(THE  GUASTAV1NO  M  EM  OR  [AL  CHAPEL) 


with  a  castle;  St.  Agnes  with  a  lamp;  St.  Agatha  with  breasts  in  her  hands; 
St.  Rose  of  Lima  with  a  crucifix.  Over  the  ends  of  the  colonnade  are  two 
sisters,  St.  Rufia  on  the  left  and  St.  Justa  on  the  right,  they  are  the 
patronesses  of  Sevilla,  Spain,  and  they  are  always  represented  pictorially 
with  vases  or  alcarrazas  in  their  hands  because  they  were  daughters  of  a 
potter. 

Inlaid  in  the  delicate  blue  field  of  tiles  at  the  base  of  the  altar  front  is 
an  old  Italian  marble  fragment  representing  the  Nativity;  while  forming 
a  frame  around  the  altar  front  is  a  series  of  colored  tiles  bearing  in  gold 
lettering  titles  of  Our  Lady  selected  from  those  which  the  Church  has  ap- 
plied to  her  in  the  Litany  of  the  Blessed  Virgin. 

Around  the  arch  of  this  exquisite  altar  are  seven  doves,  typifying  the 
Seven  Gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost:  wisdom,  understanding,  counsel,  fortitude, 
knowledge,  piety,  and  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  with  which  gifts  the  Virgin 
Mother  of  Jesus  was  so  preeminently  endowed. 

The  door  to  the  Sacristy  from  this  chapel  is  of  Spanish  design  and  has 
a  fine  old  panel  representing  The  Good  Shepherd  as  is  told  on  the  scroll 
which  bears  the  words:  "Pastor  Bonus."  Above  this  door  is  an  old  paint- 
ing by  an  unknown  artist  portraying  the  Visitation. 

On  the  wall  on  either  side  of  the  door  are  two  small  paintings,  copies 
of  Italian  old  masters. 

The  large  stained  glass  windows  represent  St.  Mary  of  the  Sea,  and  the 
small  one  above  St.  Rafael,  the  archangel.  On  the  same  wall  near  the 
crypt  of  Mr.  Guastavino  is  a  very  old  copy  of  one  of  Murillo's  famous 
Madonnas.  The  door  here  is  of  lustre  glazed  tiles  framed  in  bronze  and 
is  the  entrance  to  the  crypt  in  which  rests  all  that  was  mortal  of  the  generous 
Catholic  and  gifted  architect,  Rafael  Guastavino,  to  whom  the  congregation 
of  St.  Lawrence  must  now  and  always  owe  a  debt  of  everlasting  remem- 
brance. It  is  right  that  he  should  be  laid  to  rest  here  where  this  exquisite 
Lady  Chapel  will  forever  bear  witness  to  the  devotion  and  genius  of  himself 
and  of  his  gifted  son. 


g>t.3togepf)'s;Cf)apel 


On  the  left  of  the  Main  Altar,  but  to  the  visitor's  right,  is  a  much 
plainer  but  still  beautiful  chapel,  intended  as  St.  Joseph's,  but  now  generally 
called  The  Sacred  Heart  chapel  because  of  the  statue  which  has  been  placed 
there.  The  altar  piece  here  is  a  window  from  the  little  frame  church  let  into 
the  wall  like  a  panel  and  representing  The  Nativity.  This  altar,  as  also  its 
apse  walls,  merit  more  than  a  passing  glance,  for  examination  will  show 

[55] 


that  both  altar  and  walls  are  largely  made  of  broken  bits  of  tiles,  and  when 
we  realize  that  this  work,  as  fine  as  some  mosaics,  was  done  by  the  Fathers 
Marion  who  pieced  together  with  their  own  hands  these  bits  and  made  them 
into  this  harmonious  whole,  we  begin  to  understand  the  infinite  patience  and 
accuracy  of  the  two  brothers,  and  we  can  imagine  how  precious  to  St.  Joseph, 
the  carpenter  of  Nazareth,  must  be  this  chapel  dedicated  to  him.  The  large 
stained  glass  window  here  represents  the  death  of  St.  Joseph  in  the  arms  of 
Jesus  and  Mary;  and  the  small  one  is  of  St.  Lawrence  with  the  martyr's 
palm  and  his  gridiron  symbol.  Both  of  these  were  in  the  little  church  of 
Father  White's  time.  The  group  of  statuary  in  this  chapel  representing 
Our  Lord's  Agony  in  Gethsemane  is  the  gift  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edward  H. 
B  runner. 

The  lavish  use  of  tiles  throughout  this  church  might  well  call  forth  the 
query,  "Where  did  they  come  from?"  They  were  made  in  the  little  town  of 
Woburn,  Massachusetts,  where  Mr.  Guastavino  had  established  a  factory 
and  they  represent  years  of  experimental  work.  Indeed  the  story  of  these 
experiments  with  their  varying  success  would  of  itself  make  a  highly  inter- 
esting chapter  in  the  history  of  ceramic  art  in  America.  It  was  in  the  course 
of  them  that  Rafael  Guastavino,  Jr.,  discovered  the  lustre  glaze  which  he 
has  used  to  such  good  effect  in  the  tiles  for  the  door  to  the  crypt  of  his  father, 
just  off  the  Lady  Chapel. 

Perhaps  the  best  spot  for  getting  the  full  effect  of  the  dome  and  the 
oval  of  the  whole  plan,  as  also  for  seeing  the  windows,  is  in  front  of  the 
central  gates  of  the  Sanctuary,  looking  toward  the  main  entrance.  Just 
under  the  vaulting  of  the  dome  is  a  gem-like  frieze  of  ten  semi-circular 
windows  all,  except  one  (which  represents  the  Conversion  of  St.  Paul), 
portraying  scenes  in  the  Gospel  Story,  beginning  with  The  Annunciation 
and  ending  with  The  Appearance  of  The  Risen  Savior  to  Mary  Magdalen. 
The  two  very  large,  and  handsome  windows  on  either  side  of  the  church 
represent  Christ  healing  the  afflicted  (east  side)  and  The  Transfiguration 
(west  side). 

In  the  organ  loft,  the  large  window  portrays  The  Resurrection,  and 
flanking  this  on  the  right  are  a  cinquefoil  window  with  St.  Peter  as  the 
subject,  and  a  smaller  one  above,  to  the  honor  of  the  Four  Evangelists; 
while  the  cinquefoil  to  the  left  has,  as  subject,  St.  Paul,  with  the  one  above 
commemorating  the  four  Latin  Fathers  of  the  Early  Church,  Sts.  Jerome, 
Gregory,  Ambrose,  and  Augustine.  All  of  these  windows  were  made  in 
Munich. 

[36] 


ST.    JOSEPH'S    CHAPEL 
(GENERALLY  STYLED  SACRED  HEART  CHAPEL) 


In  the  four  niches  of  the  main  body  of  the  church  there  are  four 
statues,  the  work  of  Deprate  Statuary  Company  of  Italy.  On  the  west  side 
stands  St.  Peter  with  his  keys,  and  facing  him  on  the  east  side  St.  Patrick 
with  his  crozier,  shamrock,  and  scallop  shell  (referring  to  his  baptizing  his 
converts).  These  two  statues  were  selected  by  their  donors  because  these 
two  saints  were  the  patrons  of  Fathers  Peter  and  Patrick  Marion,  an  emi- 
nently fitting  selection  as  all  who  read  this  pamphlet  will  readily  grant.  In 
the  niches  near  the  entrance  are  statues  of  St.  Cecilia  on  the  west  and 
St.  Rose  of  Lima  on  the  east.  When  one  of  the  Altar  Society  asked  Father 
Patrick  why  these  two  saints  were  chosen,  he  answered  with  an  Irish  twinkle 
in  his  eye,  "Sure!  aren't  the  women  to  be  represented  everywhere  now?" 
But  it  is  easy  to  see  another  reason  for  the  choice.  St.  Rose  was  the  first 
saint  of  the  Americas  to  be  canonized  and  St.  Cecilia  is  the  patroness  of 
organ  music  throughout  the  world. 

The  stations  of  the  Cross  placed  around  the  church  represent,  as  every 
Catholic  knows,  the  toilsome  journey  of  Our  Suffering  Lord  from  the  hall 
of  Pilate  to  Calvary.  His  death,  the  deposition  from  the  Cross  and  the 
burial  in  the  tomb  of  Joseph  of  Arimathea.  The  stations  are  of  Rigalico 
and,  like  everything  else  in  the  church,  they  are  gifts  from  various  persons. 

We  cannot  close  this  very  imperfect  description  of  the  interior  of  St. 
Lawrence  without  urging  everyone  interested  in  ecclesiastical  art  to  give 
detailed  study  to  this  church,  for  the  assertion  may  be  safely  made  that  a 
careful  consideration  of  the  symbolism,  the  beauty,  and  "the  reason  for 
being"  of  every  detail,  of  the  pictures,  the  tiles,  the  windows,  and  the 
statuary,  would  go  far  toward  preparing  one  for  artistic  appreciation  of 
those  great  works  of  art  in  America  and  Europe  which  have  delighted  the 
world  and  have  lifted  the  human  spirit  to  some  sort  of  true  perception  of 
the  sublime  and  the  beautiful. 

In  such  a  study  it  is  well  to  remember  always  that  there  is  no  rite  nor 
symbol  in  the  Catholic  Ceremonial  and  in  Christian  Art  which  has  not  its 
own  religious  significance,  and  if  we  find  ourselves  unable  to  understand  or 
to  appreciate  what  we  see,  it  is  always  possible  that  the  lack  may  to  some 
degree  be  in  ourselves. 


[39] 


NORTHEAST  CORNER  OF  SANCTUARY 


taineb  <§la££  Jfflemortal  ^inbotosf 

SEMICIRCULAR  WINDOWS GOSPEL  SIDE 

<Ti)f  Annunciation 

In  memory  of 
James  H.  Loughran 

Che  ^ttfitatton 

In  memory  of 
Nora  Bryan  Campbell 

Ehe  JEattbitp 

In  memory  of 
J.  K.  Farge 

Wt)t  teaching  in  Che  temple 

In  memory  of 
William  and  Mary  O'Donovan 

Che  Conbersion  of  %t.  $aul 

In  memory  of 
Mrs.  J.  H.  Bosse 

SEMICIRCULAR  WINDOWS EPISTLE  SIDE 

Che  jftlarriagc  jfeasft  of  Cana 

In  memory  of 
R.  A.  Hicks  and  Family 

Raising  to  life  Baughter  of  Sairufi 

In  memory  of 
Willum  and  Anna  Reagan 

Che  Calming  of  the  &)inb  anb  WabtH 

In  memory  of 
Catherine  Harrington 

Che  Agonp  in  tfje  <§arbcn 

In  memory  of 
Mary  McKenzte 

Che  Jffleeting  of  jftlars  jftlagbelene 

In  memory  of 
Fred  Ward 

GALLERY 

Che  Ascension  of  <Bur  Eorb 

In  memory  of 
Mrs.  Mary  Marion 


[43] 


LARGE  EAST  WINDOW 

Cfjrist  pealing  tfjc  i§>irfe 

In  memory  of 
Margaret  Loughran 

VESTIBULE  WINDOW 

Hisljop  ©aib'g  Coat  of  arms 

In  memory  of 
Margaret  Hess 

LARGE  WEST  WINDOW 

Cfjc  ^Transfiguration  of  0uv  ILorb 

In  memory  of 
Agnes  E.  Fox 

VESTIBULE  WINDOW 

Pope  $iug  X  Coat  of  &rms 

In  memory  of 
A.  Burnes 

£>t.  Pfter 

In  memory  of 
Lucian  Fabricotti 

Meatf)  of  £>t.  Joseph 

In  memory  of 
Mrs.  M.  Fischer 

QTotoer  ££inboto 

In  memory  of 
John  Retlley 


[441 


THE   AGONY   IN  THE   GARDEN   GROUP  STATUE 


partial  list  of  jfllemortals 

With  Names  of  Donors 

THE  PULPIT  THE  AGONY  GROUP  STATUE 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  Loughran       Mr.  and  Mrs.  Edw.  Brunner 

SANCTUARY  CHAIRS  STATUE— ST.  ROSE  OF  LIMA 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin  Rothan        Miss  Rose  Byrne 

MARBLE  ALTAR  RAIL  STATUE— ST.  CECILIA 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maurice  du  Pont      Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  G.  Deschler 

VESTIBULE  ENCLOSURE  STATUE— ST.  PATRICK 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Louis  Carr  Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  H.  Kelly 

CONSECRATION  CROSSES         STATUE— ST.  PETER 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  Hellen  Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  W.  Needham 

ST.  ANTHONY  SHRINE  ELECTRIC  SANCTUARY 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin  Rothan  CHIMES 

FUNERAL  SET-CANDLE-  Miss  Margaret  J-  O'Connor 

STICKS,  CRUCIFIX  BAPTISMAL  FONT 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Patrick  McIntyre     Mrs.  Margaret  J.  Ruppert 

MEMORIAL 

ELECTRIC  ORGAN  CHIMES 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  P.  Gilkey 

ONE  THOUSAND  DOLLARS 

Consecration  Fund 

Generous  Friend 

BRASS  ALTAR  CRUCIFIX  by  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Hoban 

SANCTUARY  CHAIR  by  Knights  of  Columbus 

ARTISTIC  ALTAR   CLOTH   SET  by  Mr.   and  Mrs.   Bernard   F. 

Moloney 
ESTEY  PIPE  ORGAN  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rafael  Guastavino,  Jr. 
HOLY  WATER  FONTS  by  Miss  Mamie  Stelling 
DEAGAN  ALTAR  CHIMES  by  Bryan-Campbell  Family 
CHAPEL  TOWER  CROSS  by  Bryan-Campbell  Family 
THE  CROSS  VOTIVE  CANDLE  STAND  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  P. 

Gilkey 
STATUE  OF  BLESSED  VIRGIN  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Patrick  McIntyre 
THE  HEART  VOTIVE  CANDLE  STAND  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Patrick 

McIntyre 

[47] 


GENEROUS  MONETARY  GIFTS 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maurice  du  Pont 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Patrick  McIntyre 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  Loughran 
Mr.  John  O'Donnell 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Smathers 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  W.  Needham 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  M.  H.  Kelly 

THE  GUASTAVINO  MEMORIAL  CHAPEL 

(The  Lady  Chapel) 


STATION 

I. 

STATION 

II. 

STATION 

III. 

STATION 

IV. 

STATION 

V. 

STATION 

VI. 

STATION 

VII. 

STATION 

VIII. 

STATION 

IX. 

STATION 

X. 

STATION 

XI. 

STATION 

XII. 

STATION 

XIII. 

STATION 

XIV. 

Stations  of  tfte  Cross 

(Donated  by  the  following) 

Mr.  John  E.  Sugg 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  T.  James 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Branagan 

Mrs.  J.  T.  Grace 

Mr.  John  Anthony  MacDonald 

Mrs.  A.  Felthaus 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  S.  J.  Mulvaney 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  E.  H.  Brunner 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Smathers 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  Smathers 

Mrs.  J.  H.  Stelling 

Misses  Louise  and  Lelia  Trumbo 

Mrs.  J.  Grace  Wharton 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  H.  Manley 


[48] 


NORTHEAST    CONER   OF    MAIN    VESTIBULE 


SMALL  TOWER  WINDOW  CORNER  STONE 

Mrs.  J.  Scheinley  Mr.  Patrick  McIntyre 

ELECTRIC  LIGHTS  MASSIVE  FRONT  DOORS 
Mr.  W.  Byrne  Mr.  James  Price 

SMALL  TOWER  WINDOW  THE  FORMER  STEAM  BOILER 
Mr.  Ed.  E.  Dunn  Mr.  J.  Clerkin 

MARBLE  WORK  THROUGH-  SANCTUARY  LAMP 
OUT  CHURCH  Mrs.  Patrick  Carr 

Mr.  M.  H.  Kelly  FORMER  BRICK  ALTAR  RAIL 
MAIN  TOWER  CROSSES  Mrs.  George  Smathers 

Mrs.  F.  Vance  &  Harry  Martin  CHApEL  T0WER  CROSS 

TWO  SMALL  GALLERY  Rev.  Mother  Deplanck 

WINDOWS  STATUE  OF  ST.  LAWRENCE 
Mr.  R.  Stehley 


SACRISTY  PLUMBING 

Mr.  S.  M.  Stevens 


Mrs.  A.  Curran 

STATUE  OF  ST.  JOSEPH 
Mr.  J.  Scheinley 


Note. — Since  this  booklet  went  to  press  the  present  Rector,  Rev. 
Louis  J.  Bour,  has  found  among  the  papers  of  the  late  Rector,  Rt.  Rev. 
Msgr.  Marion,  a  list  of  many  donations  along  with  the  names  of  the  donors. 
It  is  a  source  of  very  great  regret  to  Father  Bour  and  to  the  Altar  Society 
that  this  list  was  not  found  in  time  to  give  it  in  this  edition.  It  will  be  care- 
fully preserved,  and  should  there  be,  as  we  hope  there  will  be,  a  second 
edition,  the  complete  revision  and  all  the  names  will  be  given.  However, 
the  Rector  and  the  Ladies  of  the  Altar  Society  console  themselves  with  the 
knowledge  that  these  generous  and  devout  benefactors  of  St.  Lawrence  did 
not  make  their  sacrifices  and  their  gifts  for  human  glory  and  for  recognition 
before  the  world.  Their  high  motive  was  the  honor  and  glory  of  God  and 
they  have  OUR  LORD'S  own  assurance  in  the  Gospels  that  not  even  a  cup 
of  cold  water  given  in  His  name  shall  go  unrewarded.  We  wish  here  to  give 
them  also  our  promise  that  in  our  poor  prayers  all  of  them  will  be  included 
when  we  remember  before  the  Throne  of  Grace  those  who  by  their  piety  and 
unstinted  generosity  have  made  possible  our  beautiful  church — an  ever- 
lasting memorial  of  their  munificence  and  Faith,  and  every  reader  of  these 
pages  is  asked  to  repeat  this  prayer  for  our  benefactors.  VOUCHSAFE, 
O  LORD,  TO  REWARD  WITH  ETERNAL  LIFE  ALL  THOSE  WHO 
HAVE  DONE  US  GOOD,  FOR  THY  NAME'S  SAKE.    Amen. 

[511 


Belmont  Abbey 
LIBRARY 
Belmont,  N.  C. 


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Belmont  Abbey 

LIBRARY 

Belmont,  N.  C. 


BELMONT  ABBEY 
LIBRARY 

BELMONT,  N.  <3 


UNIVERSITY  OF  N.C.  AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


00034004363 

FOR  USE  ONLY  IN 
THE  NORTH  CAROLINA  COLLECTION 


Form  No.  A-368,  Rev.  8/95 


